A wiper element is formed by a wiper blade made of an elastomeric material such as rubber. Conventionally, the wiper blade is reinforced by two elongated elements inserted in two longitudinally extending grooves of the wiper blade.
The reinforcement elements facilitate the wiping contact with the surface to be wiped by equalizing the forces needed for wiping.
Typically, the surface to be wiped is a curved glass surface.
The reinforcement elements have to be readily flexible throughout their length in a direction toward and away from the windshield to allow the wiper element to conform to the contour of the windshield so that efficient cleaning of the windshield can be obtained.
In addition, the reinforcement elements have limited flexibility in a direction transverse thereto to provide some rigidity for the wiper element as it is driven back and forth across the glass.
Generally, the reinforcement elements are made of metal. Since wiper elements have to withstand all weather conditions, it is necessary that the metal elements have a high corrosion resistance. Therefore, the wiper elements are typically reinforced with stainless steel strips.
Also the use of galvanised wires to reinforce wiper blades is known in the art. However, galvanised steel wires do not always meet the severe corrosion resistance requirements.
As the automotive industry is looking for black colored metal elements, this imposes a further requirement to the reinforcing elements of a wiper blade.
Either the conventional used stainless steel strips as the galvanised steel wires, both have the disadvantage not to be black colored.